The Regulations for Sending SMS in the UAE

This guide will walk you through the regulations for sending SMS in UAE, including mandatory sender ID registration timing restrictions, and how you can leverage SMS Marketing and SMS API Services to reach your audience effectively.

There are separate SMS Regulations for local and international clients.

To send SMS legally in the UAE, local entities must comply with guidelines issued by the UAE's TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority).

• As per the new regulation of TDRA, a company based on a local entity should have an enterprise account on the operator portal.
• Alphanumeric SenderID needs to be registered on all U.A.E. networks.
• For the message to be delivered successfully, the SenderID must be registered through the Etisalat or DU portal.
• A promotional SMS is sent by a brand to customers who’ve opted in to receive promotional messages.
• Promotional communications are not permitted between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
• Make sure all promotional mobile marketing communication SMS can only be sent with SenderIDs starting with the prefix “AD-“ followed by the name of the SenderID
• The SenderID must match the registered company name.
• Generic and Numeric Sender IDs are not supported
• Ensure the SenderID character length is within the character limit of 11
• The Allowed Special Characters are dash (-), underscore (_), dot (.), single-quote (), ampersand (&) space ( )
• Ensure that the contact name and address sign are the same in all documents and that the documents are properly authorized.
• For medical centers, a Ministry of Health approval copy is mandatory.
• RERA Certificate is mandatory for all Real Estate-related Sender IDs
• The expected time for approval is 5–10 business days

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• Alphanumeric SenderID needs to be registered on all U.A.E. networks.
• Promotional messages are not allowed for international traffic; only transactional messages are permitted.
• The Sender ID must match the registered company name.
• Generic and Numeric sender IDs are not supported.
• The Allowed Special Characters are dash (-), underscore (_), dot (.), single-quote (), ampersand (&), and space ( ).
• The estimated time for approval is 10–15 business days.

To initiate Sender ID registration, the following documents must be provided:

• A scanned and signed NOC on the company letterhead
• A valid Certificate of Registration or company license document

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To initiate SenderID registration following documents are required.

• For medical centers, a Ministry of Health approval copy is mandatory.
• RERA Certificate is mandatory for all Real Estate-related Sender IDs
• For registering through the Du ESP(Enterprise SMS Portal) Emirates ID and an establishment card are required.
• For registering through Etisalat CMS portal, a Party ID is required for promotional sender IDs

The following are the steps to follow for SenderID registration in the UAE

• Fill out the ESP form and submit it to the D7 registration team.
• The registration team will process your application.
• The ESP account will be created for the customer.
• The customer account holder will receive an email notification from the portal for the activation of the ESP account.
• Once the account is activated, upload the SenderID and the documents for approval for networks.
• After approval, share the SenderID with D7 to whitelist.
• Send uninterrupted messages to the UAE

• Send marketing messages only to users who have previously given their consent.
• Send transactional messages only to users with whom you have a business relationship or who have opted in to receive them.
• It is recommended to display the URL and toll-free number for opt-out, opt-out via the website, or replying to SMS, free of charge
• Political, religious, unsolicited, or gambling content is not allowed.
• The best strategy is to communicate only during the daytime unless it is urgent.
• SMS campaigns should include HELP/STOP messages in the user's native language.
• Generic sender IDs such as INFO, SMS, NOTICE, etc. are prohibited.
• Do not contact users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb registries
• Follow the guidelines for easy SenderID Registrations.
• Make sure that the SMS messages are written within the prescribed character limit.

There are no fees for Sender ID registration in the UAE, but you should still plan for timelines and document requirements. For full transparency and cost details, check our SMS API Pricing.

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Whether you're a local business or an international enterprise, complying with regulations for sending SMS in UAE is the first step. But it's not just about compliance—it's about connecting effectively.

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